Loose-leaf binder



F. K. MERO.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLlCATlON men MAR. 19, 1921.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Inventor. Frank K Mero byMM/zm Atrys.

UNITED STATES FRANK K. MERO, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed March 19, 1921.

T 0 aZZ whomz't may concern Be it known that I, FRANK K. Mano, a citizenof the United States, residing at Malden, county of Middlesei: State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Loose-Leaf Binders, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, is a specificat on, l ke characters on the drawing representingllke parts.

This invention relates to improvements in temporary binders which aresome times designated as loose-leaf binders and the object of theinvention is to provide a novel construction which can be economicallyproduced and which will be more effective in operation than thoseheretofore constructed.

A further object of the invent1on 1s to provide a temporary bindercomprising a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmental ring sectionswhich may be opened to release the leaves rotating one of said sectionsabout an axis substantially coincident with the axes of the ringsections, thereby avoiding the disengagement of the leaves whichfrequently occurs in opening usual types of binders in which theabutting ends of the rings are both moved away from each other in arcswhich are not concentric with the axes of the ring sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a temporary binder ofthe character specified with actuating means for openrng and closing thering sections which is easily accessible to the operator and which willunfailingly separate and close all of the ring sections in unison.

A further object of the invention is to provide a temporary binder whichwill not require the use of springs thereby producing a more durableconstruction.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description and the annexed draw ings and will beparticularly pointed out in the accompanying claims.

A preferred embodiment of the inven tion is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings as applied to a usual form of loose-leaf binder.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a looseleaf binder having my inventionembodied therein, a portion of the cover being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Serial No. 453,815.

section through the temporary binder and the cover to which it isafiixed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 Fig. 2, showing theinterlocking members of the nesting plates of the binder in lockedposition;

Fig. & is a vertical sectional view on line %-4t Fig. 2 showing theposition of the parts when the ends of the rings are in abuttingposition; i

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 2, showing theinterlocking members of the nesting plates of the binder in the unlockedposition which is assumed when the ends of the ring sections are sepa'ated;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line similar to Fig. 4:, butshowing the position of the parts when the ends of the ring sections areseparated; and,

Fig. 7 is a vertical central sectional view upon a different plane thanthat illustrated in F 2 showing the manner in which the actuator isconnected to the inner cylindrical member of the binder and also servesas a guide for the outer cylindrical member.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing as applied to a loose-leaf binder having a cover 1provided with an insert 2 at the central portion thereof to which thebinder is attached. The binder comprises a narrow lower or outer plate 3in the form of a section of a cylinder and provided with preferablycomplete cylindrical ends 4 and This outer plate is provided with ascries of parallel segmental ring sections 6 spaced apart considerabledistances and adapted to pass through perforations in the loose sheetswhich are to be bound together. The outer plate 3 has stamped from it,adjaccnt its ends. downwardly offset tongues 7 which pass through theinsert 2 and also through suitable apertures in an anchoring plate 8which lies bet-weenthe insert 2 and the cover 1. Thus the outer plate 3is firmly fastened to the cover.

The inner or upper plate 9 likewise is cylindrical in form and curved tonest with the cylindrical plate 3. Like the cylindrical plate 3 it isprovided with complete cylindrical ends 10 which are concentric with andit within the cylindrical ends of the outer plate and form bearings bymeans of which the inner plate may be rotated relatively to the outerplate. Segmental ring sections 11 extend from the opposite side of theinner plate 9 in the same transverse planes as the rings 6 and areadapted to abut at their ends against the ends of the ring sections 6.Preferably the abutting ends are made in the form of interlockingV-shaped tongues and grooves so that when assembled the rings will becontinuous, the interlocking endsalso serving to prevent relativedisplacement.

The .inner plate 9 desirably is provided adjacent one end with adownwardly bent member 12 which engages a recess 13 from which thetongue 7 is stamped and when interlocked therewith retains the ends ofthe ring sections 6 and 11 in engagement. The member 12 is soconstructed as to present inclined outer surfaces so that when the innerplate isrotated the member 12 will ride up over the recess 13 into theposition illustrated in Fig. 5 and aid inretaining the ends of the ringsin separated position while the leaves are being placed upon the ringsor removed therefrom. When the leaves are assembled rotation of theinner plate in the opposite direction will close the ends of the ringsections together and the member 12, dropping again into the recess 13,will retain them in closed position.

It will be noted that in the present construction when the ends of thering sections are separated and caused to approach each other the platesare rotated relatively to each other in such a manner that the ringsmove about an axis which is substantially coincident with the axes ofthe ring sections, or in other words which is co-axial with the axes ofthe concentric ring sections 4, 5, 10 which form a part. of therespective plates.

Any suitable means may be provided for thus rotatingthe platesrelatively to each other. In the preferred embodiment of the inventionillustrated herein the inner plate is moved by an actuator whichpreferably is in the form of a stamped cylindrical handle member 14having a milled periphery 15 which can be readily engaged by the fingersof the operator. The actuator has an extension 16 of smaller diameterwhich preferably fits snugly within one of the cylindrical members10 ofthe inner plate. This construction provides a shoulder 1'? against whichthe outer edge of the cylindrical portion 5 of the outer plate rests andis guided. Tabs 18, stamped from the central portion 19 of the extension16, are bent outwardly therefrom and. engage and fit tightly in suitablerecesses in the edge of the inner cylindrical member 10 and also extendinto slots 20 in the outer cylindrical member 5.

By reason of this construction the actuator is locked firmly to theinner cylindrical member 10 and the ends of the tabs 18, which projectbeyond and engage slots in the outer concentric cylindrical member 5,serve to retain the cylindrical members at one end of the binder inassembled position and also form a guide which cooperates with theshoulder 17 for the hearing which is formed between the innercylindrical member 10 and the outer cylindrical member 5. Thus theactuator 14 serves as a means for rotating the inner cylindrical member10 and with it the plate 9 and ring sections 11 and also serves toretain the plates, which carry the ring sections, in assembled position.

In the construction of the device the plates may be made of flat sheetmetal with extensions cut from the sheet to form the ring sections 6 and11 respectively, and also extensions which, when welded together attheir ends, form the cylindrical portions 4;, 5, 10 respectively, or ifdesired the end sections may be drawn from a suitable sheet instead ofbeing made in the manner above described.

When the plates are thus formed they may be assembled by slipping one ofthe ends 10 through the cylindrical sections 4 and 5 of the outer plate.The reduced portion 16 of the actuator may then be introduced into theinner cylindrical member 10 at one end and the tabs bent outwardly toengage the recesses in the concentric cylindrical members 10' and'5respectively.

Preferably the ends 21 and 22 of the slots 20 serve to limit therotative movement of the inner member by engaging the edges of the tabs18, thereby preventing the ring sections from being moved beyond apredetermined position, so that a desired number of leaves may beretained upon the ring sections of the binder.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosedherein is illustrative and not restrictive and that variousmodifications in form, arrangement and construction of parts be madewithin the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire. tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A temporary'binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmental abuttingring sections extending from their opposite edges and means for causingrelative rotation between said plates about an axis substantiallyconcentric with the axis of their curvature.

2. A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates provided with concentric cylindrical end members forming bearingsand having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmental abutting ringsections extending from their opposite edges and means for rotating oneof said plates about an axis concentric with the axis of its curvature.

A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates provided with concentric cylindrical'end members forming bearingsand having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmental abutting ringsections extending from their opposite edges, means for rotating one ofsaid plates about an axis concentric with the axis of its curvature andan actuator secured to one of said cylindrical members.

4. A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates provided with releasable interlocking means and having aplurality of pairs of segmental abutting ring sections extending fromtheir opposite edges and means for causing relative movement betweensaid plates about an axis substantially concentric with their axes ofcurvature.

5. A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates, the outer plate having means for securing the same to a cover,said plates having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmentalabutting ring sections extending from their opposite edges and at theirends concentric cylindrical members forming bearings, a cylindricalactuator fitting and secured to the inner cylindrical member providedwith a milled extension and operable to rotate the inner plate andthereby cause separation of the abutting ends of said segmental ringsections.

6. A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically curvedplates, the outer plate having means for securing the same to a cover,said plates having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmentalabutting ring sections extending from their opposite edges and at theirends concentric cylindrical members forming bearings, a cylindricalactuator fitting within the inner cylindrical member provided with meansengaging said inner cylindrical member and having guiding means forretaining said inner and outer cylindrical members in assembledposition.

7. A temporary binder comprising a pair of nesting cylindrically' curvedplates, the outer plate having means for securing the same to a cover,said plates having a plurality of pairs of cooperating segmentalabutting ring sections extending from their opposite edges and at theirends concentric cylindrical members forming bearings, a cylindricalactuator having a cylindrical extension of reduced diameter fitting saidinner cylindrical member and also presenting a shoulder engaging the endof the outer cylindrical member and tabs formed from said actuatorengaging recesses in said inner cylindrical member and extending intoengagement with the opposite edge of said outer cylindrical memberwhereby the parts of the binder are retained in assembled position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK K. MERO.

